A KNIFEMAN who stabbed his victim in the neck could face a “dreaded” indefinite prison sentence to protect the public.

Jonathon Mark Hogg said he aimed the kitchen knife at David Hagan’s shoulder, but missed and hit his neck, after drinking and taking pills.

He tearfully admitted to police that he attacked Mr Hagan, Teesside Crown Court heard. Hogg, 42, of Grange Road, Middlesbrough, was set to stand trial for attempted murder - a charge he denied - this week.

After discussions with lawyers, he admitted the lesser charge of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

Police were called to St Aidan’s Drive in Newport, Middlesbrough, at 12.45pm on September 25 last year following reports of a stabbing.

Mr Hagan, 39, was taken to James Cook University Hospital where he was treated for a stab wound to the neck. The full facts of the case have not yet emerged.

When police found him, Hogg said: “I was going to hand myself in today anyway. How is he? You’ll get a full confession out of me.”

Hogg was in tears when he owned up in police interview.

He said he got a knife from the kitchen of the house, didn’t mean to cause the damage he did and “took off”.

He said: “I don’t know what was going through my mind.

“It could kill a man. I just wish it was me instead of him. I hate myself for it.”

His barrister Rod Hunt said the stabbing was a “momentary loss of temper which was immediately regretted”.

He told the court: “There are no follow- up blows, there are no kicks, there’s no taking advantage of a man who’s on the ground.

“The defendant was aiming for his shoulder. The blow went into his neck because he’d misaimed.

“This was a one-off in a closed circle of people drinking and taking drugs to excess. It was an attempt to stab him in the shoulder which went horribly wrong.

“He stopped immediately when the blood was seen. He was appalled. He was as shocked as anyone.”